This book provides a novel contribution to the wider bodies of literature on student and academic wellbeing by including a series of rich and nuanced discussions of specific aspects of the wellbeing of legal academics. It contains original research contributions on this topic drawing on insights from law, education and psychology and throws a spotlight on an emerging field of interest. In particular, it focuses attention on the need to understand the implications of workload, communication, competence, and community for academic wellbeing with the collection providing insight as to the amelioration of stress linked to these themes. Reference will be made to the key factors which influence each of these themes, such as the neo-liberal academy, the contours and staffing of the law school, the impact of COVID-19 and the role of values and ethics. Relevant theoretical perspectives relating to these themes, including self-determination theory and the notion of an ethic of care, will also be discussed.
Author(s): Caroline Strevens, Emma Jones
Series: SpringerBriefs in Education
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 144
City: Cham
Contents
Editors and Contributors
1 Introduction: Wellbeing and the Legal Academy
1.1 Aim of This Volume
1.2 Contributions to the Volume
1.3 The Concept of Wellbeing
1.4 Workload
1.5 Competence
1.6 Communication
1.7 Community
1.8 The Impact of COVID-19
1.9 Conclusion
References
2 An Analysis of Studies on the Wellbeing of Law Teachers in the UK and Australia in 2020 Using the Lens of Seven Psychosocial Hazards of Academic Work
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Methodology
2.2.1 Methodological Limitations
2.3 Results
2.3.1 2020 Study
2.4 Analysis of the 2020 UK and Australian Law Teacher Studies Through the Lens of the HSE’s 7 Psychosocial Hazards of Academic Work
2.4.1 Work Demands
2.4.2 Control
2.4.3 Support
2.4.4 Relationships in the Workplace
2.4.5 Role
2.4.6 Change Management
2.5 Conclusion
References
3 Examining Teaching-Focused Law Teachers Through the Prism of Self-determination Theory
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Methodology
3.3 Interview Themes
3.3.1 Movement
3.3.2 Relationships
3.3.3 Value and Visibility
3.4 Discussion and Conclusion
References
4 Sessional Law Teacher Well-Being: An Empirical Australian Study
4.1 Introduction and Terminology
4.2 Sessional Academics in the Higher Education Sector
4.3 Sessional Academics in the Legal Academy
4.4 Challenges Facing Sessional Academics
4.5 Sessional Law Academic Well-Being
4.6 Australian Sessional Law Teacher Study
4.6.1 Aims
4.6.2 Methods and Participants
4.6.3 Measures
4.6.4 Results
4.7 Discussion and Observations
4.8 Limitations
4.9 Conclusion
References
5 Value Me: Supporting Confident Career Management and Increased Wellbeing in Early and Mid-Career Academics
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Context
5.3 Self-Determination Theory
5.3.1 The Importance of Personal Values
5.4 The Value Me Framework
5.4.1 Evaluation of the Value Me Framework with Students
5.5 A Proposal: Adapting the Value Me Framework as a Career Management Programme for Staff
5.5.1 Self-Directed Learning and Signalling Importance
5.5.2 Coaching and Mentoring
5.5.3 Why Coaching?
5.5.4 Mentoring
5.5.5 Journaling and Reflection
5.6 Potential Benefits of Value Me as a Career Management Programme
5.7 Limitations
5.8 Conclusion
References
6 Schizophrenia and Law Teaching–Rights and Obligations of Academic Teachers Towards Students Afflicted by the Illness
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Student with Diagnosed Schizophrenia—Why is This Illness so Severe?
6.3 The Role of the Teacher in the Didactic Process
6.4 A Student Diagnosed with Schizophrenia as a Participant in the Didactic Process
6.5 The Academic’s Well-Being in the Classroom Full of Unexpected Challenge
6.6 The Dilemma of a Law Teacher
6.7 Conclusions
References
7 Caring About Complaints: Perceptions of Complaints Procedures Considered Through the Lens of Ethic of Care
7.1 Introduction
7.2 The Ethic of Care
7.3 Research Design
7.4 Results
7.4.1 Personal Issues
7.4.2 Procedural Issues
7.5 Discussion
7.5.1 Personal Issues
7.5.2 Procedural Issues
7.6 Limitations
7.7 Conclusions
Appendix 7.1: Interview Prompts
References
